by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 305 U.S. colleges awarded 11,681 degrees and certificates in Data Science, General. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 65% of graduates. College Factual ranks 133 schools in its 2027 Best Data Science, General Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Its 14 related occupations pay an average median salary of $119,416 a year.
A major in Data Science, General covers A Program That Focuses On The Analysis Of Large Scale Data Sources From The Interdisciplinary Perspectives Of Applied Statistics, Computer Science, Data Storage, Data Representation, Data Modeling, Mathematics, And Statistics. Includes Instruction In Computer Algorithms, Computer Programming, Data Management, Data Mining, Information Policy, Information Retrieval, Mathematical Modeling, Quantitative Analysis, Statistics, Trend Spotting, And Visual Analytics.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., data science, general is a popular field of study, with 11,681 degrees awarded annually. 305 colleges award data science, general degrees, an average of 38 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 914.
By level, the 11,681 awards include 31 certificates, 137 associate degrees, 3,806 bachelor’s degrees, 7,648 master’s degrees and 41 doctorates.
Women earned 38% of data science, general degrees and certificates in the latest year (4,434 of 11,681). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (3,315) and Asian (1,573), and international students earned 4,781.
College Factual ranks 133 schools in its 2027 Best Data Science, General Schools ranking, including 58 for bachelor’s degrees and 86 for master’s degrees. It also ranks data science, general schools within 19 states. In all, 305 colleges offer data science, general programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Data Science, General Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common data science, general credential is the master’s degree: 7,648 of the 11,681 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to data science, general call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Computers and Electronics, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension and Oral Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a data science, general degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 31 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 137 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3,806 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,648 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 41 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to data science, general, at 59.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 59.5% |
| Master’s degree | 20.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 3.8% |
| Some college courses | 3.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.6% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
14 occupations are related to Data Science, General, with an average median salary of $119,416; the strongest outlook belongs to Software Developers, at 13.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Data Analyst, Data Modeler, Data Engineer and Flight Simulator Teacher.
The occupation related to data science, general with the most projected jobs is Postsecondary Teachers, All Other, at 964,215.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | 585,851 | 1.3% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Data Scientists | 507,848 | 8.1% |
| Database Architects | 335,771 | 4.3% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Clinical Data Managers | 300,656 | -0.9% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
The highest-paying occupation related to data science, general is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $175,079 |
| Database Architects | $148,480 |
| Business Intelligence Analysts | $143,840 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Data Warehousing Specialists | $117,424 |
Data Science, General has 1 similar major in the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies field; the largest is Data Science, Other (91). Browse all Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Data Science, Other | 91 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
